World Cup 2006 Preview - Japan

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    World Cup 2006 Preview JapanOutright Odds: 300/1 Group F Winners: 16/1 Japan are a challenging

    team to predict. Last year they beat European champions Greeceand earned a credible draw with Brazil in last years ConfederationsCup but their qualifying campaign was much less than convincing.They lost just once in 12 qualifying matches, away at Iran, andtopped the group overall, but they only managed to score more thantwo goals against a severely depleted Indian side and required lastminute wins against Oman and Korea DPR. Such feebleness inqualification saw the public call for manager Zicos head but thereality they qualified for the tournament will save the Brazilian footballlegends job for the time being. Japan reached the second round 4years ago but they will do well to reach that stage this time about.The 2002 campaign saw Japan defeat a dismal Russia prior to

    narrowly losing out to Turkey in the second round. Legend has it thatthen-coach Phillipe Troussier chose striker Akinori Nishizawa, whohad not played in the tournament, ahead of regular strikers TakayukiSuzuki and Atushi Yanagisawa because it was his birthday. SurelyZico wouldnt make such a mistake? A UK-based midfield trio ofHidetoshi Nakata (Bolton Wanderers), Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic),Junichi Inamoto (West Bromwich Albion) and if fit, Shinji Ono ofFeyenoord gives Japan their greatest chance of success its therest with the team which lacks true international class. The normalstrike pairing of Naohiro Takahara and Yanagisawa do not getregular club football with Hamburg and Messina while the rest withthe side is made up of residents of the vastly improving J-League.

    Only 4 of the 23 players in last years Confederations Cup squad hadbeen based abroad. The centre half-pairing of Gamba OsakasTsuneyasu Miyamoto and Yokohamas Yuji Nakazawa had beensolid throughout a qualification campaign which conceded just 5objectives but Brazil, Croatia and Australia will offer a a lot sternertest. Portsmouth flop Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, made the scapegoatfollowing Pompey lost 4-1 at house to Leyton Orient on his debut, hasfeatured more than 80 times in objective for his country. Japan maybe victims of their own current good results and expectation willprobably be fantastic at this years finals. Whilst there is plenty oftalent in midfield, the team as a entire might not be as much asemulating their group topping exploits of 4 years ago and are unlikely

    to figure within the knockout stages. Recommended Bet Anunconvincing qualification campaign and a lack of goals from the twostrikers means Japan cannot be backed to qualify from the group.Actually, they could be propping up the rest by the time the threeinitial round matches are completed and backing against them couldbe a much better investment than supporting them. Croatia to beatJapan @ 4/5By on

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